Device for adjusting the minutes hand of a watch with at least a minutes and a seconds hand

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for setting the minute hand of a timepiece which has at least minute and second hands  29,  having a setting stem  1  which can be moved axially out of a normal position into a setting position. In this case, upon movement of the setting stem  1  out of the normal position into the setting position, a zero setting drive of the second hand  29  can be driven such that it moves the latter into its zero position. By virtue of the setting stem  1  being moved out of the normal position in the direction of the setting position, it is possible to initiate operation of a spring-force-operated drive by means of which the zero setting drive of the second hand  29  can be driven such that it moves the latter into its zero position.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an arrangement for setting the minute hand of atimepiece which has at least minute and second hands, having a settingstem which can be moved axially out of a normal position into a settingposition, it being the case that, upon movement of the setting stem outof the normal position into the setting position, a zero setting driveof the second hand can be driven such that it moves the latter into itszero position.

The disadvantage of a known arrangement of this type is that the secondhand can only be moved fully into the zero position when the settingstem is forced right into its setting position. If this is not the case,the second hand is only moved more or less, but not fully, into the zeroposition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is thus to provide an arrangement of thetype mentioned in the introduction which, while being straightforward toactuate, carries out rapid and complete zero setting of the second handfor the purpose of minute time setting.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that, by virtue ofthe setting stem being moved out of the normal position in the directionof the setting position, it is possible to initiate operation of aspring-force-operated drive by means of which the zero setting drive ofthe second hand can be driven such that it moves the latter into itszero position. All that is necessary here is for the setting stem to bemoved by a certain minimum distance out of the normal position in thedirection of the setting position, without having to reach the settingposition fully in order to initiate operation of the drive. This drivethen ensures independently that the second hand is moved fully into thezero position.

The setting stem may serve exclusively for the zero setting of thesecond hand.

If the setting stem is a minute setting stem of the timepiece and thesetting position is the minute setting position, in which, by virtue ofrotation of the setting stem, the minute hand can be driven such that itcan be moved manually, then the setting stem fulfils both the functionof initiating operation of the zero setting drive and the function ofactuating the minutes setting. Movement of the setting stem into itsminute position alone automatically brings about zero setting of thesecond hand.

If, when the setting stem is located in the setting position, the secondhand can be arrested in the zero position by the zero setting drive,then the second hand remains in its zero position until the settingoperation of the minute hand has been completed and the timepiece is tobe restarted precisely in accordance with, for example, a time signal.

For the purpose of initiating the operation of the drive, it is possiblefor the lever, in straightforward and space-saving form, to be atwo-armed lever, in particular a two-armed angle lever.

A reliably functioning construction of straightforward configuration isachieved if the zero setting drive is a cam-plate drive, of which thecam plate is arranged fixedly on the seconds stem, which bears thesecond hand, and, upon movement of the setting stem in the direction ofthe setting position, can be driven by the spring-force-operated drivesuch that it can be moved into the zero position by a zero settinglever, it being the case that the cam-plate drive is preferably aheart-cam zero setting drive. If the cam plate can be arrested in thezero position by the zero setting lever, then these components serve notjust for movement into the zero position, but also for keeping thesecond hand in the zero position.

Just a small amount of installation space is required if the zerosetting lever is a lever which can be pivoted about a spindle parallelto the seconds stem and which acts on the radially peripheral lateralsurface of the cam plate.

A straightforward and space-saving setting drive is achieved in that thezero setting drive has a pivot lever which can be pivoted, about a pivotspindle parallel to the seconds stem, between a normal position and azero setting position, which is forced into its zero setting position byspring action and which can act on the zero setting lever such that itcan be moved out of its normal position, in which it is spaced apartfrom the cam plate, against the cam plate,

The drive may be formed in that, by virtue of the lever, a control platecan be driven such that it can be pivoted about a spindle parallel tothe spindle of the lever, it being the case that the control plate has acontrol curve which can act on an activation surface of the pivot lever,and the pivot lever can be moved out of its normal position into itszero setting position counter to the action of its spring.

If, in this case, the control curve and activation surface are inclinedwith respect to one another at an angle at which self-locking is ruledout, then the control curve and activation surface slide along oneanother under the force of the spring action and cause the pivot leverto pivot.

The control curve may be an arc which is equidistant from the spindle ofthe control plate, and the activation surface may be a slope which isinclined with respect to a radial line to the pivot spindle of the pivotlever, it being the case that, for reasons of the small amount ofinstallation space required, the control curve is an arc section which,in the rest position, butts against the slope of the pivot lever and, inthe zero setting position, is disengaged from the slope of the pivotlever.

If the control plate can be pivoted freely relative to the lever over acertain distance, then, at the end of the sliding operation between thecontrol plate and slope, it is disengaged from the slope, as a result ofwhich the spring force acting on the pivot lever serves fully for thepurpose of driving the zero setting drive.

The certain distance is limited in a straightforward manner in thatarranged on the lever is a stub which engages in a groove which belongsto the control plate and extends over the certain distance in the radialdirection in relation to the spindle of the control plate.

In order for the setting stem always to be kept in a defined manner inone of its end positions and, furthermore, for the pivot movement of thelever to be accelerated, it is possible, depending on its pivotposition, for the lever to be forced into its rest position or its handsetting position by the action of a catch spring.

If, when the setting stem is located in the setting position, the secondhand can be arrested in the zero position by the zero setting drive,then the second hand remains in its zero position until the settingoperation of the minute hand has been completed and the timepiece is tobe restarted precisely in accordance with, for example, a time signal.For this purpose, by virtue of the setting stem, when the latter ismoved out of the normal position into the setting position, a stoppingdevice can be actuated for the purpose of stopping the movementmechanism for the timepiece. This can take place in a straightforwardmanner in that the stopping device can be actuated by the pivot lever.

The stopping device may have a stopping lever which can be driven suchthat it can be moved, by the pivot lever, between a normal position, inwhich it releases the balance wheel of the timepiece, and a stoppingposition, in which it acts on the balance wheel with a force fit, itbeing the case that the pivot lever can preferably act on the stoppinglever such that it forces said stopping lever away from the balancewheel in the radial direction counter to the force of a spring. For thispurpose, that region of the stopping lever which acts on the balancewheel with a force fit is preferably a spring arm.

In order to be able to carry out zero setting of the second hand withoutthe drive of the movement mechanism being affected thereby, the secondsstem may be coupled to the movement mechanism of the timepiece with aforce fit.

For this purpose, in a straightforward embodiment, there may be arrangedbetween the seconds stem and a seconds-display drive mechanism of themovement mechanism a prestressed coupling spring which butts against atleast either the seconds stem or the seconds-display drive mechanismwith a friction fit.

A space-saving embodiment is achieved in that the seconds-display drivemechanism is mounted on the seconds stem in a freely rotatable manner,it being possible, without any great amount of installation space beingrequired, for the coupling spring to be arranged axially between theseconds stem and seconds-display drive mechanism.

Both a straightforward construction of the coupling spring andconcentric loading of the components on which the coupling spring actsare achieved if the coupling spring is a spring which has one or moreradially directed spring arms, of which one spring-arm end is arrangedon the seconds stem and the second spring-arm end is supported on theend side of the seconds-display drive mechanism, it being possible forthe second spring-arm end to be supported on a radially directed,flange-like widened section of the seconds-display drive mechanism.

As a result of production tolerances, there is always play in the wheeltrain leading to the seconds-display drive mechanism, and this play hasto be overcome upon a zero setting movement of the second hand in thecounterclockwise direction. If the second hand is then driven again innormal operation, the play in the wheel train must first be overcomebefore the second hand is moved. This results in the starting of thesecond hand being delayed, and thus in the time display being incorrectby from 1 to 2 seconds. In order to ensure that the second hand startscorrectly, the seconds-display drive mechanism may have a blockingdevice which can be actuated, by virtue of the setting stem being movedin the direction of the setting position, such that the seconds-displaydrive mechanism is blocked before the second hand is moved into the zeroposition. This means that the second-display drive mechanism is blockedbefore the zero setting movement of the second hand, with the resultthat the wheel train remains free of play in the normal drive direction.

In a straightforward configuration, the blocking device may have ablocking lever which can be pivoted about a pivot spindle and which canact on a movable drive part of the seconds-display drive mechanism witha force fit and/or form fit and/or friction fit.

Fulfilling a double function, and thus saving space, the movable drivepart may be the flange-like widened section of the seconds-display drivemechanism, of which the radially peripheral lateral surface can have theblocking lever acting on it.

The seconds-display drive mechanism is blocked particularly reliably inthat the radially peripheral lateral surface has a radially peripheralapproximately V-shaped groove into which the blocking lever, which canbe pivoted about the pivot spindle parallel to the axis of rotation ofthe gear wheel, can be pivoted by way of an approximatelycorrespondingly V-shaped blocking region.

If the blocking lever can be driven such that it can be pivoted by thepivot lever, then the pivot lever fulfils more than one function at thesame time.

Blocking of the seconds-display drive mechanism before the second handis moved into the zero position is achieved, in a straightforwardconstruction, in that the pivot spindle of the blocking lever and thespindle of the zero setting lever are arranged axially with respect toone another, and the blocking engagement direction of the blocking leverand the zero setting direction of the zero setting lever are oriented inapproximately the same way.

If the action of a blocking spring forces the blocking lever both in theblocking engagement direction and against the pivot lever, such that thelatter is forced into the zero setting position, then the blockinglever, following its blocking engagement, can easily be released fromthe pivot lever and this can move on further in relation to the camplate of the cam-plate drive. For this purpose, a straightforwardconstruction consists in that the action of the blocking spring forcesthe blocking lever into abutment against a stop of the pivot lever or ofthe zero setting lever, it being the case that, when the blocking leverand pivot lever are respectively pivoted in the blocking engagementdirection and the zero setting direction, the blocking lever can reachthe blocking position before the zero setting lever reaches the zerosetting position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in more detailhereinbelow and is illustrated in the drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows the normal position of an arrangement for setting theminute hand of a timepiece which has a minute hand and second hand,

FIG. 2 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 1 in the settingposition,

FIG. 3 shows a detail of the arrangement according to FIG. 1 in anintermediate position between the normal position and setting position,and

FIG. 4 shows a side view in the section along line II—II in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The arrangement illustrated has a setting stem 1 which can be displacedmanually in the axial direction between a normal position (FIG. 1) and asetting position (FIG. 2).

The setting stem, in its setting position, is incorporated in aminute-hand drive (not illustrated) and, by virtue of rotation of thesetting stem 1 about its axis of rotation, can adjust the position of aminute hand (not illustrated either).

A pin 2 of an angle lever 4, which can be pivoted about a spindle 3,engages, transversely with respect to the axis of rotation of thesetting stem 1, in an annular groove 5 formed around the periphery, inthe radial direction, of the setting stem 1. By virtue of axialdisplacement of the setting stem 1, the angle lever 4 is pivoted aboutits spindle 3 via the pin 2.

A catch spring 7 acts on an extension 6, which projects from the anglelever 4, such that, depending on its pivot position, the angle lever 4is forced into its rest position or its operation-initiating position orits hand setting position. The catch spring 7 comprises a spring arm 8which is arranged in a fixed manner at one end and has a tooth 9 at itsother end.

In the rest position the tooth 9 butts against the extension 6 by way ofone flank, and in the operation-initiating position it butts against thesame by way of its other flank. Upon pivoting of the angle lever 4, thespring arm 8 is deflected, with the result that the tooth 9 is movedbeyond the extension 6 (FIG. 3).

On its lever arm opposite the setting stem 1, the angle lever 4 bears astub 10 which engages in a groove 11 of a control plate 12.

The control plate 12 can be pivoted about a spindle 13 parallel to thespindle 3 of the angle lever 4, it being the case that the pivot path islimited by the ends of the groove 11, the stub 10 coming into abutmentagainst said ends. In this case, the groove 11 is equidistant from thespindle 13.

The control plate 12 has a control curve 14 which is likewiseequidistant from the spindle 13. This control curve 14, which isdesigned as an arc section, interacts with an activation surface 15 of apivot lever 16 which can be pivoted about a pivot spindle 17 by thecontrol curve 14.

For this purpose, the activation surface 15 is designed as a slope whichis inclined with respect to a radial line to the pivot spindle 17 of thepivot lever 16. In this case the control curve 14 and activation surface15 are inclined with respect to one another at such an angle thatself-locking of the two parts sliding on one another is ruled out.

The pivot lever 16, by way of an activation surface 15, is forcedpermanently in the direction of the control curve 14 by the action ofthe free end of a prestressed spring arm 18 and, in the normal position(FIG. 1), rests on the control curve 14 in a prestressed manner by wayof the activation surface 15.

However sliding of the control curve 14 along the activation surface 15,and thus pivoting of the pivot lever 16, is only possible when the anglelever 4 is pivoted by virtue of the setting stem 1 being moved out ofthe normal position into the setting position. In this case, the controlcurve 14, under the action of the force of the spring arm 18 on thepivot lever 16, slides along the activation surface 15 until, at the endof its pivot path, it is disengaged from the activation surface 15,since the ability of the pivot lever 16 to pivot is limited.

The pivot lever 16 is designed as a two-armed lever, on one lever arm ofwhich the activation surface 15 is arranged. The other lever arm isbranched into a zero setting arm 19 and a stopping arm 20. A zerosetting lever 22 is arranged in a plane parallel to the zero setting arm19, such that it can be pivoted about a spindle 21 parallel to the pivotspindle 17. In this case, the spindle 21 is located at one end of thezero setting lever 22, while arranged at the other end of the zerosetting lever 22, directed in the pivot direction, is a setting surface23.

Arranged approximately centrally between the setting surface 23 andspindle 21, on the zero setting lever 22, is a pin 24 which extendsparallel to the spindle 21 and projects into the pivot region of thepivot lever 16. The pin 24 has a fork-shaped end 25 of the zero settingarm 19 engaging around it, and the pivot position of the zero settinglever 22 is thus determined by the zero setting arm 19.

When the pivot lever 16 is pivoted out of the normal position into thezero setting position, the fork-shaped end 25 of the zero setting arm 19pivots the zero setting lever 22 into abutment against a stop 26. Inthis case, the setting surface 23 passes into the region of a heart-camplate 27 which is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on a secondsstem 28 parallel to the spindle 21.

By virtue of the action of the setting surface 23 on the radiallyperipheral lateral surface of the heart-cam plate 27, the heart-camplate 27 is pivoted until the setting surface 23 reaches the locationwhich is nearest the axis of rotation of the heart-cam plate 27 in theradial direction. As a result, however, the second hand 29, which isarranged on the seconds stem 28, is also moved into its zero position.

This pivoting of the seconds stem 28 can be carried out withoutobstruction since a seconds-display drive mechanism 30 of the wheeltrain of the movement mechanism is mounted on the seconds stem 28 in afreely rotatable manner and is only coupled to the seconds stem 28 by acoupling spring 31 with a force fit. As a result, by virtue of the forcefit of the coupling spring 31 being overcome, the seconds stem 28 can berotated without being blocked by the seconds-display drive mechanism 30.

The coupling spring 31 is of leaf-spring design with a central part 33,from which there project three radially extending spring arms 34 whichare angled out of the plane of the central part 33. The coupling spring31 is arranged on the seconds stem 28 by way of a bore 35 formed in thecentral part 33. In this case, the central part 33 is supported on theheart-cam plate 27, while the free ends of the spring arms 34 aresupported with prestressing on a radially directed, flange-like widenedsection 36 of the seconds-display drive mechanism 30. By virtue of theheart-cam plate 27 and seconds-display drive mechanism 30 being rotatedrelative to one another with sufficient force, it is possible toovercome the force-fit coupling between the central part 33 of thecoupling spring 31 and the heart-cam plate 27 and the seconds-displaydrive mechanism 30.

At its free end, the stopping arm 20 of the pivot lever 16 has a pin 37which projects transversely with respect to the pivot plane of saidlever. This pin 37 interacts, counter to the force of a spring 40, witha stopping lever 39 which can be pivoted about a pivot spindle 38. One,free end of the stopping lever 39 is designed as a spring arm 41 and, byvirtue of the stopping lever 39 being pivoted by the spring 40, can bemoved into abutment against the radially peripheral contour of a balancewheel 42. The resilient abutment of the spring arm 41 against thebalance wheel 42 means that the rotary movement of the latter can bestopped. In the normal position of the pivot lever 16, the pin 37 of thestopping arm 20 butts against a stop surface 43 of the stopping lever 39and thus keeps the spring arm 41 of the stopping lever 39, counter tothe force of the spring 40, at a distance from the balance wheel 42,with the result that the latter can move freely.

By virtue of the pivot lever 16 being pivoted into the zero settingposition, the pin 37 of the stopping arm 20 is disengaged from thestopping lever 39, with the result that the spring 40 pivots thestopping lever 39 and the latter, by way of its spring arm 41, comesinto abutment, with prestressing, against the radially peripheralcontour of the balance wheel 42 and blocks the movement of the balancewheel 42. The movement mechanism of the timepiece is also put out ofoperation as a result.

A blocking lever 45 is arranged such that it can be pivoted about apivot spindle 44 parallel to the spindle 21 of the zero setting lever22.

By virtue of a blocking spring 46, the blocking lever 45 can be moved,by way of its free end, against the radially peripheral lateral surfaceof the flange-like widened section 36. At this free end, the blockinglever 45 has an approximately V-shaped blocking region 47 by means ofwhich it can be pivoted into an approximately correspondingly V-shapedgroove 48, which is formed around the periphery, in the radialdirection, of the radially peripheral lateral surface of the widenedsection 36.

In the normal position (FIG. 1), the pin 24 of the zero setting lever 22keeps the blocking region 47 of the blocking lever 45 disengaged fromthe groove 48 counter to the force of the blocking spring 46.

If the zero setting lever 22 is pivoted, by the pivot lever 16, out ofthe normal position into the zero setting position, then the blockinglever 45, which is supported on the pin 24, follows until it engages inthe groove 48 by way of its blocking region 47 and thus blocks theseconds-display drive mechanism 30.

The zero setting lever 22 is then moved on further by the pivot lever 16until it comes to rest, by way of its setting surface 23, on theheart-cam plate 27 and rotates the latter until the setting surface 23butts against the radially lowest point of the heart-cam plate 27 andthe second hand 29 is thus located in its zero position.

In this case, the seconds-display drive mechanism 30 is blocked beforethe heart-cam plate 27 is adjusted.

For the purpose of setting the timepiece to the right time, first of allthe setting stem 1 is drawn upward, by means of a winder (notillustrated), out of the normal position, which is illustrated in FIG.1, into the setting position, which is illustrated in FIG. 2. As aresult, the angle lever 4 is pivoted in the counterclockwise directionand transmits its movement to the control plate 12. Until theintermediate position, which is illustrated in FIG. 3, has been reached,the angle between the control curve 14 and the activation surface 15 issuch that there is self-locking between the two abutting parts. As thecontrol curve 14 is pivoted further, the pivot lever 16 is also pivoted,with the result that the angle between the control curve 14 andactivation surface 15 changes such that self-locking of these twoabutting parts is now ruled out. Under the force of the spring arm 18,the pivot lever 16 then automatically slides along the control curve 14by way of its activation surface 15 and, in the process, pivots suchthat it moves over the pin 24 of the zero setting lever 22 by way of itsfork-shaped end 25 and releases the blocking lever 45, with the resultthat the latter follows the zero setting lever 22 under the action ofthe blocking spring 46.

As a result, first of all the seconds-display drive mechanism isblocked. Then the zero setting lever 22 acts on the heart-cam plate 27by way of its setting surface 23 and, overcoming the frictional forcesof the coupling spring 31, said heart-cam plate 27 is moved directlyinto the zero position and is secured there.

At the same time, the stopping lever 39 is pivoted, by way of its springarm 41, against the balance wheel 42 by the stopping arm 20 of the pivotlever 16 and stops said balance wheel.

Then, by virtue of rotation of the setting stem 1, a minute hand (notillustrated) and an hour hand (not illustrated either) are set to thecorrect time, e.g. of the next time signal.

When this time signal sounds, then the setting stem 1 is displaced intothe normal position again, as a result of which the angle lever 4 and,following passage through a certain free path of the angle lever 4, viathe pivot plate 12, the pivot lever 16 and the zero setting lever 22, byway of its setting surface 23, are forced back into their normalpositions, as a result of which the heart-cam plate 27 is released.

The pin 24 then lifts the blocking lever 45, with the result that theblocking region 47 of the latter is moved out of the groove 48 and theseconds-display drive mechanism 30 is released.

At the same time, the stopping arm 20 acts on the stop surface 43 of thestopping lever 39, lifts off the spring arm 41 of the latter from thebalance wheel 42 and releases said balance wheel.

As a result, the movement mechanism of the timepiece runs freely and thehands move synchronously.

For the purpose of adjusting the lever paths, use is made of aneccentric 50 on the pivot spindle 17 for the pivot lever 16, of aneccentric 51 on the stop 26 of the zero setting lever 22, and of aneccentric 52 on the pivot spindle 44 of the blocking lever 45.

Of course, the seconds-display drive mechanism which is to be blockedneed not necessarily be the drive mechanism which is seated on theseconds stem; rather, it is also possible for it to be a gear wheelwhich is in the vicinity of said drive mechanism and is located in thewheel train which leads to said drive mechanism. However, it is best ifit is the drive mechanism which is seated on the seconds stem which isblocked.

What is claimed is:
 1. An arrangement for setting the minute hand of atimepiece, the timepiece comprising: at least a minute hand and a secondhand, a setting stem which is movable axially out of a normal positioninto a setting position, a zero setting drive for moving the second handinto a zero position thereof, and a spring-force-operated drive foroperating the zero setting drive of the second hand to move the secondhand into said zero position; wherein the spring-force-operated drive isresponsive to a position of said setting stem for initiating operationof the zero setting drive upon movement of said setting stem out of thenormal position toward the setting position.
 2. The arrangement asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the setting stem (1) is a minute settingstem of the timepiece and the setting position is the minute settingposition, in which, by rotation of the setting stem (1), the minute handcan be driven such that it can be moved manually.
 3. The arrangement asclaimed in claim 1, wherein, when the setting stem (1) is located in thesetting position, the second hand (29) can be arrested in the zeroposition by the zero setting drive.
 4. The arrangement as claimed inclaim 1, wherein, by virtue of the setting stem (1), when the latter ismoved axially out of the normal position in the direction of the settingposition a lever can be driven such that it can be pivoted, about aspindle (3), out of a rest position into a position in which operationof the drive is initiated.
 5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 4,wherein the lever is a two-armed lever.
 6. The arrangement as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the lever is an angle lever (4).
 7. The arrangement asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the zero setting drive is a cam-plate drive,of which the cam plate is arranged fixedly on a seconds stem (28), whichbears the second hand (29), and, upon movement of the setting stem (1)in the direction of the setting position, can be driven by thespring-force-operated drive such that it can be moved into the zeroposition by a zero setting lever (22).
 8. The arrangement as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the cam-plate drive is a heart-cam zero setting drive.9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the zero setting lever(22) is a lever which can be pivoted about a spindle (21) parallel tothe seconds stem (28) and which acts on the radially peripheral lateralsurface of the cam plate.
 10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 7,wherein the zero setting drive has a pivot lever (16) which can bepivoted, about a pivot spindle (17) parallel to the seconds stem (28),between a normal position and a zero setting position, which is forcedinto its zero setting position by spring action and which can act on thezero setting lever (22) such that it can be moved out of its normalposition, in which it is spaced apart from the cam plate, against thecam plate.
 11. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein, by virtueof the lever, a control plate (12) can be driven such that it can bepivoted about a spindle (13) parallel to the spindle (3) of the lever,wherein the control plate (12) has a control curve (14) which can act onan activation surface (15) of a pivot lever (16), and the pivot lever(16) can be moved out of its normal position into its zero settingposition counter to the action of a spring.
 12. The arrangement asclaimed in claim 11, wherein the control curve (14) and activationsurface (15) are inclined with respect to one another at an angle atwhich self-locking is ruled out.
 13. The arrangement as claimed in claim12, wherein the control curve (14) is an arc which is equidistant fromthe spindle (13) of the control plate (12), and the activation surface(15) is a slope which is inclined with respect to a radial line to apivot spindle (17) of the pivot lever (16).
 14. The arrangement asclaimed in claim 13, wherein the control curve (14) is an arc sectionwhich, in the rest position, butts against the slope of the pivot lever(16) and, in a zero setting position, is disengaged from the slope ofthe pivot lever (16).
 15. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11,wherein the control plate (12) can be pivoted freely relative to thelever over a certain distance.
 16. The arrangement as claimed in claim15, wherein arranged on the lever is a stub (10) which engages in agroove (11) which belongs to the control plate (12) and extends over thecertain distance in the radial direction in relation to the spindle (13)of the control plate (12).
 17. The arrangement as claimed in claim 15,wherein, depending on its pivot position, the lever is forced into itsrest position or its hand setting position by the action of a catchspring (7).
 18. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein by virtueof the setting stem, when the latter is moved out of the normal positioninto the setting position, a stopping device can be actuated for thepurpose of stopping the movement mechanism of the timepiece.
 19. Thearrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the stopping device can beactuated by the pivot lever (16).
 20. The arrangement as claimed inclaim 18, wherein the stopping device has a stopping lever (39) whichcan be driven such that it can be moved, by the pivot lever (16),between a normal position, in which it releases a balance wheel (42) ofthe timepiece, and a stopping position, in which it acts on the balancewheel (42) with a force fit.
 21. The arrangement as claimed in claim 20,wherein the pivot lever (16) can act on the stopping lever (39) suchthat it forces said stopping lever away from the balance wheel (42) inthe radial direction counter to the force of a spring (40).
 22. Thearrangement as claimed in claim 20, wherein, that region of the stoppinglever which acts on the balance wheel (42) with a force fit is a springarm (41).
 23. The arrangement as claimed claim 1, wherein a seconds stem(28) is coupled to the movement mechanism of the timepiece with a forcefit.
 24. The arrangement as claimed in claim 23, wherein arrangedbetween the seconds stem (28) and a seconds-display drive mechanism (30)of the movement mechanism is a prestressed coupling spring (31) whichbutts against at least either the seconds stem (28) or theseconds-display drive mechanism (30) with a friction fit.
 25. Thearrangement as claimed in claim 24, wherein the seconds-display drivemechanism (30) is mounted on the seconds stem (28) in a freely rotatablemanner.
 26. The arrangement as claimed in claim 25, wherein the couplingspring (31) is arranged axially between the seconds stem (28) andseconds-display drive mechanism (30).
 27. The arrangement as claimed inclaim 26, wherein the coupling spring (31) is a spring which has one ormore radially directed spring arms (34), of which one spring-arm end isarranged on the seconds stem (28) and the second spring-arm end issupported on the end side of the seconds-display drive mechanism (30).28. The arrangement as claimed in claim 27, wherein the secondspring-arm end is supported on a radially directed, flange-like widenedsection (36) of the seconds-display drive mechanism (30).
 29. Thearrangement as claimed claim 1, wherein a seconds-display drivemechanism (30) has a blocking device which can be actuated, by thesetting stem (1) being moved in the direction of the setting position,such that the seconds-display drive mechanism (30) is blocked before thesecond hand (29) is moved into the zero position.
 30. The arrangement asclaimed in claim 29, wherein the blocking device has a blocking lever(45) which can be pivoted about a pivot spindle (44) and which can acton a movable drive part of the seconds-display drive mechanism (30) witha force fit and/or form fit and/or friction fit.
 31. The arrangement asclaimed in claim 30, wherein the movable drive part is the flange-likewidened section (36) of the seconds-display drive mechanism (30), ofwhich the radially peripheral lateral surface can have the blockinglever (45) acting on it.
 32. The arrangement as claimed in claim 31,wherein the radially peripheral lateral surface has a radiallyperipheral, approximately V-shaped groove (48) into which the blockinglever (45), which can be pivoted about the pivot spindle (44), parallelto the axis of rotation of the gear wheel (30), can be pivoted by anapproximately correspondingly V-shaped blocking region (47).
 33. Thearrangement as claimed in claim 30, wherein the blocking lever (45) canbe driven such that it can be pivoted by a pivot lever (16).
 34. Thearrangement as claimed in claim 30, wherein the pivot spindle (44) ofthe blocking lever (45) and a spindle (21) of a zero setting lever (22)are arranged axially with respect to one another, and the blockingengagement direction of the blocking lever (45) and the zero settingdirection of the zero setting lever (22) are oriented in approximatelythe same way.
 35. The arrangement as claimed in claim 34, wherein theaction of a blocking spring (46) forces the blocking lever (45) both inthe blocking engagement direction and against a pivot lever (16), suchthat the latter is forced into the zero setting position.
 36. Thearrangement as claimed in claim 35, wherein the action of the blockingspring (46) forces the blocking lever (45) into abutment against a stopof the pivot lever (16) or of the zero setting lever (22), wherein, whenthe blocking lever (45) and pivot lever (16) are respectively pivoted inthe blocking engagement direction and the zero setting direction, theblocking lever (45) reaches the blocking position before the zerosetting lever (22) reaches the zero setting position.
 37. An arrangementfor setting the minute hand of a timepiece, the timepiece comprising: abalance wheel, at least a minute hand and a second hand, a setting stemwhich is movable axially out of a normal position into a settingposition, a zero setting drive including a pivot lever extending from alocation of said setting stem to a location of said second hand formoving the second hand into a zero position thereof, and aspring-force-operated drive for operating the zero setting drive of thesecond hand to move the second hand into said zero position; wherein thespring-force-operated drive is responsive to a position of said settingstem communicated by said pivot lever for initiating operation of thezero setting drive upon movement of said setting stem out of the normalposition toward the setting position, positions of said pivot leverserving to enable said spring-force-operated drive while stopping saidbalance wheel or disabling said spring-forceoperated drive whilereleasing said balance wheel.